Comments on: Without DeLay http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/ America's favorite blog Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:35:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15504 Wed, 12 Apr 2006 16:40:10 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15504 On the virtues of changing one's mind, especially (hint, hint, Mr. President) when reality intrudes with all its matter-of-factness (cf. Robert Frost). "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds." Ralph Waldo Emerson "Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself." Henry David Thoreau [Damned, do I ever hope I got all of the above right, lest I otherwise be compelled to slash my wrists in a moment of profound literary shame.] On the virtues of changing one’s mind, especially (hint, hint, Mr. President) when reality intrudes with all its matter-of-factness (cf. Robert Frost).
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Do I contradict myself? Very well then, I contradict myself.”
Henry David Thoreau
[Damned, do I ever hope I got all of the above right, lest I otherwise be compelled to slash my wrists in a moment of profound literary shame.]

]]> by: Stephen http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15462 Mon, 10 Apr 2006 14:26:33 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15462 Murray, WOW, that was distressingly accurate. I'm going to go sit in the corner and cry for a while. Siobhan, I heard Car Talk talking about some great Tahoe spots. I was hoping they would mention yours! Murray,

WOW, that was distressingly accurate. I’m going to go sit in the corner and cry for a while.

Siobhan,

I heard Car Talk talking about some great Tahoe spots. I was hoping they would mention yours!

]]> by: siobhan http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15455 Mon, 10 Apr 2006 02:30:41 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15455 and, III) consistency is highly overrated. and, III) consistency is highly overrated.

]]> by: siobhan http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15454 Mon, 10 Apr 2006 02:30:07 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15454 Here's the thingabout here: At FA, 1) I'm never the most cynical person around, and b) it's always entertaining. A rare combo. Here’s the thingabout here: At FA, 1) I’m never the most cynical person around, and b) it’s always entertaining. A rare combo.

]]> by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15452 Mon, 10 Apr 2006 02:10:44 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15452 Murray, Distressingly valid. The ones who do take principled stands either get marginalized or crucified. Murray,

Distressingly valid. The ones who do take principled stands either get marginalized or crucified.

]]> by: Murray http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15436 Sun, 09 Apr 2006 16:20:57 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15436 Stephen, I think that the public wants politicians to speak the truth as long as it agrees with them. Here are Murray's 5 laws of politics. 1. Do what ever is necessary to win. 2. Your primary job once elected is to be re-elected. 3. Because of rule #2, your primary function is campaign fundraising. 4. Never take a stand on a political issue; doing so will piss off at least half of the people. If you are forced to take a stand, over simplify the issue and put it in emotional terms, remember, the public doesn't think, it feels. 5. Occasionally you must legislate, (an annoyance) and to do so means you must vote on an issue. This is your order of priority. 1. Contributors (see rule #3) 2. Impressing friends, mistresses etc. 3. Party 4. Whim 5. Conscience (don't worry it almost never comes to this). Stephen,

I think that the public wants politicians to speak the truth as long as it agrees with them.

Here are Murray’s 5 laws of politics.

1. Do what ever is necessary to win.

2. Your primary job once elected is to be re-elected.

3. Because of rule #2, your primary function is campaign fundraising.

4. Never take a stand on a political issue; doing so will piss off at least half of the people. If you are forced to take a stand, over simplify the issue and put it in emotional terms, remember, the public doesn’t think, it feels.

5. Occasionally you must legislate, (an annoyance) and to do so means you must vote on an issue. This is your order of priority.

1. Contributors (see rule #3)
2. Impressing friends, mistresses etc.
3. Party
4. Whim
5. Conscience (don’t worry it almost never comes to this).

]]> by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15418 Sat, 08 Apr 2006 16:33:54 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15418 Cooper, That ain't cynicism, that's a willingness to face facts. And yeah, she would be getting off on exactly that if she is the representative Fanatic Fundie that you suspect she is. She probably would have qualified as a wetland under Gail Norton's definition if she'd been sitting on the ground. Cooper,

That ain’t cynicism, that’s a willingness to face facts. And yeah, she would be getting off on exactly that if she is the representative Fanatic Fundie that you suspect she is. She probably would have qualified as a wetland under Gail Norton’s definition if she’d been sitting on the ground.

]]> by: cooper http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15409 Sat, 08 Apr 2006 03:39:30 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15409 Max Bob, having grown up in this region, let me hazard a guess. She is on a mission from God to boo and cast apersions, shame, and spite upon all that is not bound by the Holy chains of Jesus Christ All Mighty, Himself. And in doing this, she has her peak experience. Forgive my cynicism. I'll go to bed now. Max Bob, having grown up in this region, let me hazard a guess. She is on a mission from God to boo and cast apersions, shame, and spite upon all that is not bound by the Holy chains of Jesus Christ All Mighty, Himself. And in doing this, she has her peak experience.

Forgive my cynicism. I’ll go to bed now.

]]> by: Maximum Bob http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15406 Fri, 07 Apr 2006 23:56:43 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15406 I believe that the woman sitting next to Harry Taylor was either booing or having a peak experience. I read somewhere that it was the former; if true, it is every patriot's duty to spread the rumor that it was the latter. I believe that the woman sitting next to Harry Taylor was either booing or having a peak experience. I read somewhere that it was the former; if true, it is every patriot’s duty to spread the rumor that it was the latter.

]]> by: David http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15403 Fri, 07 Apr 2006 23:37:27 +0000 http://fanaticalapathy.com/2006/04/05/without-delay-2/#comment-15403 Harold, She's the lady, and a terrific one. I'm not surprised by siobhan's report. I would have paid a scalper. Maximum Bob, Thanks for the correction. Dumping NPR would be a terrible thing. NPR Headline News is what I find the most disappointing, that and the general drift away from the kind of journalism Bill Moyers champions. I do share your reaction to blogs that eviscerate any news report not in sync with the bloggers' views. Truth comprehensive enough to facilitate insight and information people in power don't want you to have - those are the hallmarks of good journalism. It does seem to me that people don't really want to hear it until they get the fact that they need to hear it. Sometimes that can only come from a Walter Cronkite. Wish Sylvia were taking over as anchor of the CBS Evening News. Hope Katie Couric blossoms into a substantive journalist. One never knows. The best news program at the moment, in my judgement, is Democracy Now. Amy Goodman is a first-rate journalist, and fearless, Lobster love her. Harold,

She’s the lady, and a terrific one. I’m not surprised by siobhan’s report. I would have paid a scalper.

Maximum Bob,

Thanks for the correction. Dumping NPR would be a terrible thing. NPR Headline News is what I find the most disappointing, that and the general drift away from the kind of journalism Bill Moyers champions. I do share your reaction to blogs that eviscerate any news report not in sync with the bloggers’ views. Truth comprehensive enough to facilitate insight and information people in power don’t want you to have - those are the hallmarks of good journalism. It does seem to me that people don’t really want to hear it until they get the fact that they need to hear it. Sometimes that can only come from a Walter Cronkite. Wish Sylvia were taking over as anchor of the CBS Evening News. Hope Katie Couric blossoms into a substantive journalist. One never knows.

The best news program at the moment, in my judgement, is Democracy Now. Amy Goodman is a first-rate journalist, and fearless, Lobster love her.

]]>